Steam boiler furnace or other furnaces



(No Model.) ,3 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. R. HONEY.

STEAM BOILER FURNACE OR OTHER FURNACES.

No. 409,304. Patented Aug. 20, 188 9.,

L J3 f I t I %JS6J v jrwam gtfar/wya N. PEH "S, PhMo-Lilhugraphcn wminmn, D. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. R. HONEY.

STEAM BOILER FURNACE OR OTHER FURNACES.

Wfloraagd (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

' W. R. HONEY. STEAM BOILER FURNAGE OR OTHER FURNACES.

No. 409,304. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

UNITED STATES P TENT Orricn.

IVILLIAM It. HONEY, OF CIIICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ESTING-HOUSE, CIIUR II, KERR & COMPANY, OF NEIV JERSEY.

STEAM-BOILER FURNACE OR OTHER FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,304, dated August20, 1889.

Application filed September 23, 1886. fierial No. 214,304. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, \VILLIAM R. RONEY, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Steam-Boiler Furnaces or other Furnaces; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to furnaces, and to that class of devices knownas mechanical stokers, or devices for feeding fuel to furnace-fires.

It has for its primary object to secure a more perfect coking of thecoal or screenings on its way to the fire proper, together with a moreperfect combustion of the gases emitted by the fuel, and thereforegreater economyin the consumption and less waste in the form of smoke orsoot.

The invention also has for one of its obj ect s to provide improvedmechanism for advancing the fuel from the magazine to and along thegrates, whereby the supply of fuel is rendered more regular andcontinuous, and is effected under full control of the attendant.

Other and minor objects of the invention will further appear from thefollowing description:

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate what I nowbelieve to be the most desirable form in which my invention can beembodied, Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of asteam-boiler furnace containing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan 01' topview of the magazine or hopper and grates, being such a view as will beafforded by a transverse section in the indirect line 0c 00 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an elevation of a furnace and boiler front, showing the eX-posed parts of my device in front view there of. Fig. 4 is an enlargedsectional view of parts similarly shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows in endview the rocking bars of the inclined grate in connection with one oftheir end supports and the actuating-bar, the gratebars being showntilted forward to allow the fuel to advance. Fig. 6 shows the bars ofthe inclined grate with their upper faces horizontal,

or in position. to retard or prevent the advance of the fuel. Fig. 7 isa top view of the parts shown in end view in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is afragmentary section in the line 1 1 of Fig. 4,. showing the connectionsof a pitman with the eccentric shaft and the actuating bar for rockingthe bars of the inclined grate, (the bottom plate of the hopper,) thesubjacent angular plate G being removed. Fig. 8 is a section similar toFig. 8, showing in top view the connections for reciprocating thefollower and bottom plate of the hopper. Fig. 9 shows in front elevationthe parts illustrated in plan view in Figs. 8 and 8. Fig. 10 is an en- 65 larged side elevation of the connections shown in the top viewin Fig.8. Fig. 11 is a side view of the horizontal grate. Fig. 12 is a top Viewof said horizontal grate and a horizontal section in line 2 .2 of Fig.11, showing the grated stationary bar which separates the horizontalfrom the inclined grate. Fig. 13 is a sectional View showing onealternative construction of the connections that may be employed withthe actuating-shaft for operating the movable part of the hopper and therock in g grate-bars.

A represents a steam-boiler, of which B B is the setting. I

C is the fire-box.

D is a dropping grate at the rear of the fire-box.

E is an inclined grate arranged to deliver upon the grate D, and F is anexternal hop per or magazine situated in position to deliver upon theupper end of the inclined grate E through a passage f in the fire-front.

G is an angular plate situated at the bottom of the passage f andextending over the uppermost bar of the grate E. 0

II is a fire-brick hood or arch overhanging the upper portion of thegrate Eand proceeding rearwardly and downwardly from the front of thesetting above the passage f.

I is an arch extending forwardly over and 5 into proximity with the archII, affording a somewhat contracted passage 0 from the firechamber C tothe space beneath the boiler.

The grate E is composed of a series of rocking transverse bars 9 e,resting at their ends 6 in notches e provided in the upper edges of twostationary inclined supportingbars E. It is a characteristic feature ofthe grate-bars e that their upper surfaces are broad, flat, andcontinuous, or non-fingered, and it is a characteristic feature of theirarrangement that they are placed in the stepped and overlappingpositionshown, wherein the rear edgeof one bar projects over the front edges ofthe subjacent bar with sufficient vertical space between theiroverlapping edges to allow the rocking movement desirable or necessaryto insure the proper feeding of the fuel thrown from front to rear ofthe grate. The grate-bars 66 are severally provided with depending armsa which are engaged with a reciprocating rod or bar E by movement ofwhich the grate-bars c 6 may be rocked on their bearings upon the barsE. In the present instance the uppermost and the lowermost gratebars arepivoted at c to the bar E ,thus upholding the latter, and the arms ofthe intermediate grate-bars merely engage notches c in the said bar EOther forms of engagement may of course be employed if preferred. Therocking movement of the bars e is adjusted to bring said upper faces atone extreme of their movement into a substantially horizontal positionand into the stepped relation shown in Fig. 6, and at the oppositeextremity of their throw into the inclined relation shown in Fig. 5.Each gratebar 6 is provided as a separate improvement, with an uprisingrib or flange 6 along the underlapping edge thereof to better retain thefuel thereon.

By a reciprocation of the connecting-bar E it is obvious that coal orscreening or other fuel placed upon the inclined grate E will beintermittingly carried along down the same in the progress of itscombustion and finally deposited upon the grate I). This grate D ispreferably made with its bars running from front to rear and isconstructed to drop at its front edge when desired in order to allow ofits being cleared. To this end it is provided with hinges d at its rearedge, and with hinged legs cl beneath its front edge. By pushing thelegs backward the grate will be allowed to fall, and by pulling themforward the grate may be raised. A verticallyslotted bar D is located atthe front edge of the grate D to afford better air supply to thefire-bed resting on the grate D, and in the-present instance said bar D,being fixed in the setting, also forms the support for the lower ends ofthe inclined bars E, upon which the rocking-grate bars 6 6 rest.

The lower part of the magazine or hopper F is provided with an inwardlyand outwardly movable front piece or follower F, hinged to the ends ofthe hopper at f. To the lower part of this follower is loosely attachedabot tom plate F which shares the inward and outward movement of thefollower, and which forms a sliding bottom of the magazine. The inneredge of the bottom plate F in this instance rests and slides upon thehorizontal portion g of the fixed plate G, and when the plate F isretracted said horizontal part g of the plate G forms a continuationthereof and part of the bottom of the hopper. In the present drawings,the bottom plate F is connected with the hopper-plate F by being made torest upon an inwardly-directed flange f in which are set pins f thatrise loosely through holes in the bottom plate. Other suitable forms ofconnection will obviously serve the same purpose.

The action of the vibrating front plate F and movable bottom plate F is,first, b 5 their retraction to allow the fuel or screenings to fall inthe lower part of the hopper, and, second, by their forward movement, toforce the fuel through the passage f upon the inclined grate E. Theshelving and inclined portion g of the plate G overhanging the adjacentgrate-bar e insures the proper delivery of the fuel from the hopper tothe grate.

J is a rotating horizontal shaft supported in brackets j beneath themagazine and substantially in the inclined plane occupied by theconnecting-bar E of the grate E. Upon the shaft J, as shown in Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, 8, 8, 9, and 10, are fixed two eccentrics J and J the former ofwhich actuates the reciprocating bar E through the medium of the pitmanor eccentric rod j, and the latter of which vibrates the hopper-plate Fthrough the medium of the rod J The rod J 3 is preferably provided witha gab or downwardly open notch 7' for its engagement with a pin f on theend of the plate F, and a handle j by which it may be lifted out of ordropped into engagement with said pin at pleasure.

The shaft J is shown in Fig. 2 as having a driving-pulley J for itsrotation; but this is to be understood as typical of any known orpreferred form of driving mechanism.

It is proposed that, as in the slow rotation of the eccentric shaft Jthe hopper-follower F presses the fuel forward into the furnace, thegrate-bars eshall simultaneously tilt from their horizontal position(seen in Fig. 6) toward that shown in Fig. 5, so that the fuel enteringupon the top of the inclined grate shall slowly force the mass alreadyupon said grate toward the grate D. This end is obviously effected byproper adjustment of the eccentrics on the shaft J.

In Fig. 13 other and preferable forms of connections with the shaft Jare shown for operating the movable hopper-plate and the rocking bars ofthe inclined grate. In this figure but one eccentric or disk-crank J isused. This crank or eccentric is connected by a rod j with a vibratingvertical arm J which is here shown pivoted at its upper end to thevibratinghopper-plate F near the pivotal line f of said plate, but maybe pivoted elsewhere. The reciprocating-bar E is connected with this armJ at asuitable point by means of a connecting-rod E, which desirablypasses through a slot c in the arm J and is provided with jam-nuts onopposite sides of said arm, as shown, for adjustment of the devices, ifdesired.

A screw J", secured to the vibrating plate F,

and provided with a hand-wheel J and an inner nut J are suitable meansfor det-achably securing the arm J either rigidly or with a lost motionto the hopper-plate F, and to adjust the extent to which said plate Fwill be I thrown by the crank-shaft J.

The passage leading from the hopper F to the furnace may be varied bymeans of a slide f, Fig, :1, and the speed of the shaft J, when run bypower, may be regulated to give any desired rapidity of fuel supply tothe grates.

The hood or arch H, which overhangs, proj ects backwardly from the frontwall of the lire-box, and the upper portion of the inclined grate coverswhat may be termed the cokingspace of the furnace. The fuel on. thatpartof the grate it not covered by the hood II, and that beneath thelower or inner edge of the hood, will commonly be in an incandescentstage of combustion and the gases emitted by the coal or screeningsbeing coked beneath the hood are conducted downwardly over and inproximity with the fire and ignited. The forward direction of the arch Iover or into proximity with the hood II insures the eommingling of allthe elements which enter into combustion, including an adequate supplyof air admitted beneath and through the grates, and the result is thatas such of these elements as are still unconsumed pass through thecontracted space 0 combustion thereof is there finally and completelyeffected. The indirect course of the gases tends also to retard their'irogress, and thereby to further insure their proper combustion beforetheir escape, while, since. the hood II proceeds from the front wall ofthe tire-box, the flames are permitted to strike the extreme front endof the boiler. In the operation of the inclined grate E, composed ofrocking transverse bars 6, the fuel is fed downward over the grate withregularity, the angle of inclination of said grate being such that thefuel does not slide suddenly forwardly thereon, and the varying backwardand forward motions of the grate-bars operating in connection withgravity being such that the fuel practically moves almost equally fastwhether the bars e be roekin g in one direction or the other. In eithermovement of the bars c the bed of fuel is being constantly broken theconstruction of the inclined grate. So, also, other forms of connectionsmay be employed to give the desired movements to the inclinedgrate-bars.

Certain features of construction, illustrated in Fig; 13, are made thesubject of aseparate application for patent, executed March 26, 1889.

I am aware of the construction shown in Letters Patent to F. Schaffer,No. 233,90a, and in Letters Patent to G. E. Palmer and others, No.251,792, which severally show the rear wall of the feed-hopperor.feed-hole inclined backwardly and downwardly and overhanging to aslight extent the extreme upperbars of an inclined grate, and disclaimsuch construction of a hopper. The arch or hood II, herein shown, is nopart of the feed-hopper, but is an overhanging wall of a cokingchamberdistinct from the hopper and wholly within the furnace proper.

I am also aware of the construction shown in said patent to Palmer andothers in which a nearly-vertical bridge depends from a point well backin the roof of the fire-box to a point over the extreme lower end of aninclined grate. This, also, is not my invention. The arch or hood ll,herein shown, proceeds from the front wall of the tire-box and extendsdownwardly and rearwardly over only about half of the inclined grate andsubstantially parallel therewith, giving space beyond it for an extendedbody of incandescent fuel upon the same inclined grate, and alsopermittin the heat to act directly upon the ex.- treme front portion ofthe boiler by passing back over the arch II to the front wall of thefire-box, from which said arch proceeds.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with a furnace firc boxprovided with an inclined grate, of an arch projecting from the frontwall of the fire-box above the grate and extending in a positionsubstantially parallel with the grate over the upper part only thereof,and forming a coking-chamber practically distinct from the hopper andover the head of the grate only, while the lower part of the sameinclined grate beyond the arch affords room for a bed of incandescentfuel. external to the cokingchamber, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a furnace firebox provided with an inclinedgrate, of an external feed-hopper arranged to deliver upon the extremeupper end of the grate, an arch or hood II, projecting from the frontwall of the lire-box over the grate and extending rearwardly anddownwardly over the upper part of the grate and forming an interiorcoking-chamber practically distinct from the hopper, and an arch I,projecting forwardly from the rear of the fire-box above and clear ofthe arch H and terminating forward of the rear margin of the said archII and at a dis tance from the front wall of the firebox, substantiallyas described.

3. An inclined furnace-grate composed of a IIO series of rockingtransverse non-fingered bars having wide and fiat upper surfaces andprovided with trunnions which rest upon suitable supports, said rockingbars being arranged with the rear edge of each bar overhanging the frontedge of the bar beneath it, with a vertical space between the lappingportions of adjacent bars to allow of the desired rocking motion, andaltogether forming a series of horizontal steps or shelves adapted to betilted on their trunnions to advance the fuel, substantially asdescribed.

4. An inclined furnace-grate composed of a series of transverse barshaving fiat and broad upper surfaces mounted in position wherein therear edge of each bar overhangs the front edge of the subjacent bar, avertical space being provided between the overlapping portions of thebars affording room for the desired rocking movement, and the frontedges of the underlapping bars being provided with anupwardly-projecting rib, substantially as shown.

5. The combination of an inclined grate composed of transverse rockingbars provided with depending arms 6 a magazine arranged to feed upon theupper end of the grate and provided with a vibrating follower, arotating eccentric or crank-shaft, a bar E connecting the grate-bar arms6 a pitman connecting the crank or eccentric with the bar E and aconnection uniting the crank or eccentric with the vibrating follower,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with an inclined grate composed of transverserocking bars and a magazine arranged to deliver upon the upper part ofthe grate, and having a vibrating follower, substantially described, ofa rotating eccentric or crank-shaft, an adjustable connect-ion of thecrank or eccentric with the magazine-follower, and an adjustableconnection of the crank or eccentric with the gratebars, substantiallyas described.

7. The combination, with an inclined grate having movable bars and witha magazine arranged to deliver upon the upper part of the grate, andprovided with a vibrating follower, of a rotating crank or eccentricshaft having actuating connection with the gratebars, a. vibratingvertical lever, as J", Fig. 13,

an adjustable connection of said lever with the follower, and anactuating-connection of said crank-shaft with the vibrating lever,substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the rocking bars of an inclined furnace-grateand a feed-magazine provided with a vibrating follower, of a rotatingcrank or eccentric shaft, a vibrating vertical lever, as J Fig. 13, anadjustable connection of said lever with the follower, a connection ofthe lever with the crank-shaft, and an adjustable connection of thecrank-shaft with the grate-bars, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the rocking bars of an inclined grate and witha feed-magazine provided with a vibrating follower, of a rotating crankor eccentric shaft, a vibrating vertical lever connected with both thefollower and with the crank-shaft, and an adjustableactuating-connection of the crankshaft with the grate-bars,substantially as described.

10. The combination, with an inclined furnace-grate having transverserocking bars, an elevated magazine, and a fixed cross-plate at the headof the grate, ofa follower located opposite the feeding-opening of thehopper and pivoted at its upper part, and a bottom plate of the hopperflexibly connected with the follower and resting movably upon said fixedplate, substantially as described.

11. The combination of an inclined furnace-grate, a pivoted foot-grateD, located below the level of the lower end of the inclined grate, and afixed vertical grate or slotted bar D beiwe 3n the inclined grate andthe foot-grate, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM R. RONEY.

